Blogs are a trendy way to publish online, and if done right,
they can be an effective way to maintain solid relationships with
internet customers.

While blogs may be used regularly by the techno-savvy, only 38
percent of all internet users know what blogs are, according to a
January 2005 Pew Research Center survey. And their use as a
marketing tool is still in its infancy.

What's more, the stats on blogs indicate they have yet to
make a real difference with prospective customers. In its report
"Seven Practical Tactics to Turn Your Blog Into a Sales
Machine," MarketingSherpa estimates that only 0.03 percent of
the 34.5 million existing blogs are driving sales or getting
customers to contact companies. While the figures might sound
discouraging, those actually using blogs to reach out to customers
would say you shouldn't let that stop you.

Early Bird

Daniel Thralow, founder and president of Thralow Inc., believes
in the effectiveness of blogs. His Duluth, Minnesota, company
operates more than 20 e-tailing sites and expects sales of $21
million this year. One of his websites, Binoculars.com,
which sells binoculars and related accessories, started a blog in
January called Birderblog.com. Targeted at bird-watchers, the blog
was designed and programmed in-house. Well-known ornithologist
Laura Erickson writes a daily entry about birds, bird-watching and
tools of the trade--including binoculars.

Thralow uses the blog to direct people to Binoculars.com (and
vice versa). When binoculars are mentioned in the blog's text,
the reference is hyperlinked to a page featuring the product on
Binoculars.com. The blog also includes banner ads promoting
Binoculars.com.

So far, Thralow has spent $60,000 on Birderblog.com. With
additional development costs, he anticipates spending another
$50,000 on the blog during its second year. Costs include the
salaries of the blogger and tech staff to create and maintain the
site, hosting costs for the site and ancillary costs. While
Thralow--who doesn't expect a return on his investment for at
least a year--chose to spend thousands of dollars on his blog, it
can be done for less money.

"If the passionate blogger is also the business owner, the
labor could be free," says Thralow, 40. And community blogs,
which have free or practically free hosting and software, are a
popular and cheap option to consider. The trade-off, though, is not
being able to control the advertising.

Susannah Gardner, author of Buzz Marketing With Blogs for
Dummies, agrees that businesses should install solid blogging
solutions on their own servers: "Hosted blog software is an
easy way to get started, but independent blog software gives much
better flexibility in branding, design and functionality
customization."

Taking Off

Thralow has done many things right while launching his blog.
First, he uses a qualified expert who is honest in her opinions to
write the blog. Sometimes, her reviews about products sold on
Binoculars.com are negative. "The goal is that it's
honest," he says. "People can sense when someone's
been bought."

Gardner agrees that an unbiased approach is important. "I
generally don't recommend that marketing and PR people write
the blog posts for a business blog," she says. "Instead,
find someone who the public doesn't usually have access to,
someone with real experience and knowledge, who can write
personably and directly to the audience. Blogs aren't about
spin or marketing-speak."

There's also a contact e-mail address on every page of
Birderblog.com, and the blogger answers incoming questions and
leads very quickly.

Third, Birderblog.com is updated daily, which can be
time-consuming for an entrepreneur trying to handle the entries on
his or her own. Says Thralow, "You have to have a certain
consistency, or it will die."

Gardner adds: "Be flexible, and above all, post when there
is something of value to say."

At the moment, Thralow's blog enjoys modest success. Only
about 400 people per day visit Birderblog.com, compared to the more
than 10,000 per day who visit Binoculars.com. "However, the
point is that it is continuing to grow," says Thralow. He
makes sure to measure qualified prospects by keeping tabs on
click-throughs to the e-commerce site and any sales that result
directly from Birderblog.com.

Publishing a blog won't necessarily guarantee more sales,
but if it takes off, it can be a powerful way to connect with
prospects and customers. And the best part is, blogs can work for
any kind of business. "Any product can align itself with a
blog; there is no limit," Thralow says. "Everybody has a
hobby of some sort."

Melissa Campanelli is a marketing and technology writer in
New York City.

Melissa Campanelli

Melissa Campanelli is a technology writer in Brooklyn, New York, who has covered technology for Mobile Computing & Communications and Sales & Marketing Management magazines. You can reach her at mcampanelli@earthlink.net.

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